Our Labs

The Gambling Lab

This project is funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

The Gambling Lab is located in the Psychology Department at the University of Memphis and led by Drs. James Whelan and Rory Pfund. The lab focuses on examining efficacy of treatment for Gambling Disorder, interactions of gambling with other mental health disorders with a particular interest in other addiction disorders, and how the gambling industry affects the disorder. 

Current Projects

• Development of web-based self-help, responsible gambling, and financial literacy interventions
• Systematic review of the effectiveness of peer-recovery support in addiction treatment
• Meta-analyses of psychological treatments for addictive disorders
• The effect of substance use on gambling
• Self-exclusion from gambling vendors
• Awareness of gambling-related harms
• Ethnic discrimination and gambling

PETAL Lab

The Prevention Education and Treatment of Addiction Learning Lab is within the Psychology Department at East Tennessee State University and led by Dr. Meredith Ginley. The lab aims to improve treatment outcomes for all individuals experiencing behavioral addictions or substance use disorders. Their research focuses on identifying risk and resilience factors and improving the dissemination of evidence-based treatments. Visit their website to learn more!

TREAT Lab

The Tennessee Recovery and Effective Addiction Treatment is housed within the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and is led by Dr. Rory Pfund. The lab is committed to identifying and evaluating the effectiveness of psychological treatment and optimizing the effectiveness of treatment for all individuals with addictions, especially those from marginalized communities. Their active research projects currently happening involve gambling disorder prevention and treatment and substance use disorder treatment. Visit their website for more information! 

Research Interests and Selected Recent Publication (* indicates student author at time of publication):

• Examining and mitigating health disparities in urban and rural communities
  • Qian, L.*, & Whelan, J.P. (2023). Behavioral addiction from the Asian Americans perspective: Exploration of public and help-seeking stigma. Journal of Gambling Studies
• Assessment, prevention, treatment, and outcomes
  • Paul, M. L.*, Meinerding, M.*, Weinstock, J., Ginley, M. K., Whelan, J. P., & Pfund, R. A. (in press). Minimizing measurement error in treatment outcome estimates: A meta-analysis comparing estimates between the gambling timeline followback and other self-report assessments of gambling behavior. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
  • Peter, S. C*., Whelan, J. P., Pfund, R. A.*, & Meyers, A. W. (2021). Can motivational messages engage individuals at-risk for gambling disorder in an online assessment? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 35(1), 124–131.
  • Pfund, R. A., Forman, D. P. *, Whalen, S. K.*, Zech, J. M.*, Ginley, M. K., Peter, S. C., McAfee, N. W., & Whelan, J. P. (2023). Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral techniques for problem gambling and gambling disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16221
  • Pfund, R. A., King, S. A. *, Forman, D. P., Zech, J. *, , Ginley, M. K., Peter, S. C., McAfee, N. W., Witkiewitz, K., & Whelan, J. P. (2023). Effects of cognitive-behavioral techniques for gambling on recovery defined by gambling, psychological functioning, and quality of life: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000910
  • Pfund, R. A.*, Peter, S. C.*, Ginley, M. K.*, Whelan, J. P., & Meyers, A. W. (2021). Dropout from face-to-face, multi-session psychological treatments for problem and disordered gambling: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 35(8), 901-913.
  • Pfund, R. A.*, Peter, S. C.*, Whelan, J. P., Meyers, A. W., Ginley, M. K.*, & Relyea, G. E. (2020). Is more better? A meta-analysis of dose and efficacy in face-to-face psychological treatments for problem and disordered gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 34, 557-568.
• Validation of assessment tools
  • Peter, S. C. *, Whelan, J. P., & Pfund, R. A. (2022). Text comprehension analyses to improve assessment accuracy: Demonstration using gambling disorder screening. Journal of Gambling Studies, 38, 1269-1287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-022-10110-0
• Understanding the relations between gambling, substance use, and other comorbid conditions
  • Horn, T. L.*, Lerma, M.*, Pfund, R. A., & Whelan, J. P. (2023). Expectations about how alcohol consumption influences gambling. International Gambling Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2023.2224858
  • Lipinski, D.*, Horn, T. L., Whelan, J. P., & Pfund, R. A. (2023). Contrasting the effects of alcohol and alcohol expectancies on gambling behavior. Journal of Gambling Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-023-10222-1
  • Horn, T. L. *, Whelan, J. P., & Weil, G. T. * (2022). Does acute alcohol consumption increase risk-taking while gambling? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction. DOI: 10.1111/add.15896 
  • Smith, E. H., McPhail, A., Lerma, M., Pfund, R. A., & Whelan, J. P. (2024). Expectations of How Acute Cannabis Use Affects Gambling Experiences and Behaviors. Cannabis. 
  • Clay, S.*, Wilkinson, Z.*, Ginley, M. K., Arunogiri, S.*, Christmas, M.*, Membrey, D.*, MacCartney, P.*, Sutherland, R.*, College-Frisby, S.*, Marshall, A.D.*, Nagle, J.*, Farrell, M.*, & McKetin, R.* (in press). Perspectives and Sentiments on Contingency Management from People Who Use Methamphetamine. Drug and Alcohol Review.
• Gambling Industry
  • Lerma, M., Pfund, R. A., & Whelan, J. P. (2024). Does User Activity Promote Gambling-Related Content on Twitter/X? Computers in Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108297

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Undergraduate students from The University of Memphis, East Tennessee State University, and Rhodes College are involved in various research projects. The undergraduate research assistant team is also leading two studies of their own (mentored by Chance Dow) on responsible gambling materials. As a research assistant, students can gain valuable experience in research to help them prepare for future graduate studies. Interested in becoming a research assistant? contaact us below!

If you are interested in working with TIGER, please contact us via email at gambling@memphis.edu or via phone at (901) 678-3531.